Spanish fugitive arrested in Sihanoukville

One of the photos of Artur Segarra that was broadcast by the Thai media, allowing his identification by the public.

A man of 37 years old, Artur Segarra, in his run from the Thai police, was arrested by the authorities of Sihanoukville last Sunday and deported to the neighboring country on Monday morning to answer as main suspect in the disappearance and atrocious murder of the Spanish businessman David Bernat, whose body was found at the Chao Phraya river. The crime attracted the Thai media, allowing his easy identification, so he entered illegally into Cambodia searching for refuge, but was identified by some people on the Sihanoukville’s beach.

Artur Segarra denied he was the murderer of Bernat, but there are many incriminatory evidences that would bring him into a dead penalty in the Thai capital or life in prison as his best change.

At the same time Segarra is not new in the crime world. This man, born in Terrasa, Barcelona, is also requested by the Spanish authorities for fraud to several elderly pensioners in association with other partners in the crime. It seems that he is always ready to run away from justice and Thailand was his perfect scenery for a new criminal life.

The victim

Davir Bernat, 40, was born in Albi, a small and peaceful town of the Province of Lerida, northern Spain. He worked as advisory for power enterprises in different countries, especially based in United States. Five year ago he decided to explore East Asia, taking base in Bangkok in the last year. It seems that Segarra got his trust, an expert in hoax after stealing money from elderly pensioners in Spain.

The last time Bernat was seem alive was on January 20. Two days after Segarra and an Italian accomplice that still on the run, rented an apartment, brought Bernat to that place and tortured him for 48 hours to oblige him to reveal his accounts’ information from Singaporean and Spanish banks. The Thai authorities detected several withdrawals from Bernat’s accounts to the top of one million dollar. Other 10 Thai accomplices worked as figureheads to share the money in different accounts.

When the criminal was fully satisfied with the fair, he decided to kill Bernat and tear his body, throwing parts to the river and storing others in the fridge. When the Thai media started to broadcast his image thanks to security cameras, the suspect run to the Cambodian border. He let his motorbike at the border and entered illegally the Cambodian territory to reach Sihanoukville.

It seems that Sihanoukville became the perfect shelter for several international criminals. Probably the presence of a lax authority and administrative corruption is giving to Sihanoukville the face of a perfect heaven for outlaw guys. Fortunately, the Sihanoukville police answered quickly and sent Segarra to Thailand to be prosecuted.

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About Albeiro Rodas

Albeiro Rodas (in Cambodia Sky Ly Samnang), is a MA in Digital Communication, independent journalist and a Salesian of Don Bosco from Amalfi, Colombia, based in Cambodia since 1999. He is the creator of the Don Bosco schools of journalism in Sihanoukville and Kep with young people from poor communities and the founder of the Don Bosco Kep Children Fund. Medal for Social Commitment UPB (2010); among the 100 more upstanding Colombians abroad (Marca Colombia, 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X39xwdGtVXI) and among the 12 Colombians that are making this a better world 2013 (http://www.colombia.co/en/culture/colombians-that-are-making-this-a-better-world.html).